Ayy, Mami.
Just in case I end up on the wrong side of the Pedestrian Mall, I felt as if a new late-night food venue would be a good idea to locate.
I feel that this weekend will be spent with more time in the established bars of Iowa City, but for those of you avoiding that scene (for obvious reasons), Mami’s, 221 S. Gilbert St., is the perfect location for a pit stop on that long walk back home.
Even if you are choosing the licensed option, the new addition to the cultural corner of Iowa City can be found in eastern downtown.
Sometimes, you just never know where you’ll end up. Last time I walked by Mami’s, I was more focused on getting to a South Gilbert pizza place, but the new establishment in Iowa City still caught a large amount of attention from my peers (and partners in crime).
After being asked if I had tried it for the hundredth time, I figured it was worth a shot.
The few people who said they had gone there had only positive things to say about the food. Plus, it is a new option on fast Mexican food — I know some of the older students were getting tired of P or C.
So, giving it a shot, I went over to Mami’s for a taste of what this new venue had to offer.
Just walking in, you can see that a hole-in-the-wall restaurant is a pretty apt description. There were three seats for customers to come in and eat.
Maybe more of a to-go restaurant, but I decided to take a seat and enjoy my burrito.
I imagine that is the key menu option, but the quesadillas looked pretty good, too.
First comment, go with the flour tortillas. The tomato-basil tortillas are delicious in a wrap, but I don’t feel like a burrito fits that criteria.
I ordered the shredded chicken with black beans, rice, lettuce, avocado, cheese, and sour cream on the tomato-basil tortilla. All of the typical ingredients for a burrito bar can be found here.
The worst part about it was probably the tomato-basil tortilla. On the other hand, having the option was surprising enough. I’ll have to go back and try it again with the flour tortilla.
Outside of the steak, all the meats are shredded or ground. Not the most appealing appearance, but it makes for an interesting texture as the rest of the burrito gives an authentic Mexican taste.
Sometimes, the geometric cuts of meat found at other venues feel a little … processed. That isn’t the case here.
When my laziness or demands to be catered to are at an all-time high, I need some special treatment.
The three chairs were my front row seat to a massive TV playing a personal favorite, “The Office.”
But when that’s not enough, I’ll just call and have it deliver to me at 3 a.m.
